The City of Austin has updated the forms used to complete their Environmental Resource Inventories (ERIs). This is the new terminology for what was formerly their Environmental Assessments (EAs). In order to finalize the ERIs, coordination with the project engineer is necessary. Also, variance forms have to be filled out in order to request buffers of less than 150 feet for Critical Environmental Features (CEFs). These new ERIs went into effect on December 30, 2014. Additionally, the City has created a redline version of edits they are making to their Environmental Criteria Manual (ECM) to update it in keeping with the various updated forms. The finalized updated form is available for download here.

On December 20, 2013, City of Georgetown approved a water quality protection ordinance that may preclude the listing of the Georgetown salamander by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The City of Georgetown approved the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone Water Quality Ordinance, which establishes setbacks for occupied Georgetown salamander springs, unoccupied springs and streams within the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone that occur within the City of Georgetown or its Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). The ordinance is effective immediately.

aci consulting prepared a map of the area affected by the ordinance that can be viewed here: